Death toll in Indonesia earthquake climbs to nearly 350

Hanoi (VNA) – The death toll in the earthquake
that hit Lombok island, Indonesia’s West Nusa Tenggara province on August 5,
has risen to 347, according to the State news agency Antata.

The data was reported at a
meeting of sub-district heads and the regent on August 8, said spokesman of the
Regional Disaster Management Agency of Indonesia Sutopo Purwo Nugroho.

He said over 165,000 out of some 200,000 living in the north
of Lombok island have lost their houses and been forced to evacuate.

Around 20,000 people are in need of urgent assistance while
search and rescue forces are striving to approach nearly 80 percent of
collapsed houses. They are also evacuating tourists on three islets near the
epicenter of the disaster.

According to the agency, there were up to 332 aftershocks following
the earthquake.-VNA